Vitali Klitschko believes title is near

Vitali Klitschko believes he will fulfil his destiny on Saturday night in Los Angeles by finally being crowned world heavyweight champion.

The 32-year-old maintains he was robbed at the same Staples Center venue last June when facial cuts ended his title challenge to Lennox Lewis after six rounds.

Lewis’ retirement has handed Klitschko another chance to claim the WBC title against the South African veteran Corrie Sanders and he aims to make the most of it.

Klitschko said: “I know I didn’t lose that fight and everybody else knew it too.

“Last year I was so close to being champion. The cuts stopped me but now I have got another chance.”

Most in boxing believe this fight will crown the true and overdue successor to Lewis, who announced his intention not to pursue a rematch with Klitschko in February.

Recent heavyweight events have plunged an increasingly dismal division into chaos and heaped more pressure upon Klitschko to stamp his authority on the division with an impressive showing against Sanders.

Chris Byrd drew his IBF title defence against returning Pole Andrew Golota last week while John Ruiz was hardly impressive before dispatching Fres Oquendo to retain his WBA belt in the penultimate round.

Of more importance to Klitschko is revenge for the demise of his brother Wladimir, who was sensationally blown away in two rounds by Sanders 13 months ago.

The younger Klitschko took a further tumble two weeks ago when he was knocked out again in a WBO title scrap with Lamon Brewster.

Klitschko said: “I cannot think about what happened to my brother – I have to do what I have to do to reach my goal and become world champion.

“There is no way I will underestimate Sanders and I will not make the same mistakes my brother made.”